Over the years, the integration of computer and telephone technologies (CIT) has brought about many advances in the telecommunication industry. Functionally integrating human operators with telephone network capabilities, voice and data switching capabilities, computer processing databases, and voice processing technology has not only provided immediate access to information from a wide variety of sources, but has allowed calls to be intelligently and rapidly processed. Telephone switches are linked with computers to coordinate computer information and intelligence with call handling capabilities. Various forms of such expanded communication capabilities are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,525, entitled “Method For Video Telephony Over A Hybrid Network” granted Dec. 7, 1999, to Krishnaswamy, Elliott, Reynolds, Forgy and Solbrig and assigned to MCI Communications Corp., incorporated herein by reference.
Also, developments in computer, telephone and video technologies have introduced the concept of visual communications or video conferencing. In particular, efforts at integrating these technologies have gained momentum in recent years, resulting, in part, from a general desire to conserve time and expenses, and thereby, maximize human efficiency and productivity. The advent of videophones has enabled users to visually communicate from remote locations.
Furthermore, improved video techniques have resulted in systems achieving compatibility and providing compression schemes that can transmit color images over POTS (plain old telephone systems) all over the world. Approaches for incorporating live-action, color video with standard voice telephone lines via networks and modems have been introduced. Video may be received and displayed on a personal computer. Generally, frame rates depend on the type of display and the type of communication hardware. For example, over a normal dial-up telephone line, a computer with a VGA (video graphics array) display set at 32,000 colors, a 486 CPU and a 14.4 kbs (thousand bits per second) modem can achieve a frame rate of 5 frames per second. The link for personal computers can be established in several ways, for example, by a modem, LAN (local area network), or serial port and other high speed digital links. Furthermore, current telephone technology embraces mobile operation with video, voice recognition capability, and extensive Internet communication.
Another aspect of current communication facilities uses online computer service, or the Internet, which now is well established as a collection of interconnected networks using Internet Protocol (IP) for linkage. Specifically, the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) enables a system that is independent of system and architectural differences and is readily available through a variety of telephonic apparatus.
In view of current developments, the present invention recognizes the need for a system to establish select communication for remote locations over a widely distributed area. Using various techniques, as from a central location, the applications discussed above are enabled as well as many other diverse applications with similar requirements. In particular, the present system recognizes the need for selectively directing and exchanging video communications, as between an inquiring person and a responding entity. Such communications might take the form of directing communications, including offers and responses, between select members of plural groups or sub-groups, for example, to enable transactions and billing related to transactions between such groups, all accommodated by computerized telephonic communication techniques and including wireless mobile terminals.